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Completely different topic... but whats' the better tax treatment with futures? I'm not scalping. I'm trading multi-day, and at a pretty slow rate as well. I'm just trying to figure out how much I can scale my strategy without having slippage eat up all of my profits.

Yes, TAC = Technical Assistance Center. I've opened numerous tickets with them, and they've always been prompt/helpful online. First time I've had to call them, and the attitude was very dismissive. Not like the guy called me any names or made me cry. He just made it clear I was an idiot...

Oh I'd be toast at 1-2% from entry. I'm right now at 0.1-0.2% of entry, and would looking to keep it in that general range. I was asking what sized orders do you think I can trade (at market) and still be within that range...

I know the title of this thread is insanely stupid... I'm not looking for a straight answer, just some general feedback from those with years of experience in the pits. I'm trading an automated strategy, and use fixed entry/exit points. I'm not using stop orders, since I prefer to not expose...

And... now I know what people mean when they say IB employees hate us. They really, really hate us. They really dislike us. They really wish we'd go somewhere else.

Quite a bit: So now you short 1000 shares of xyz bringing the position to Delta Neutral. The real challenge of this strategy, as earlier poster mentioned, is maintaining gamma neutrality as you get closer to expiration. (Assuming price is close to the strike.)

Have a beer? Turn on family guy? The idea is just to take "out of sample period" (thanks to earlier poster for the term) data, and see whether your strategy still holds up. If it doesn't, then revisit... just be aware that if all you do is tweak your strategy to show good results...

Scot, I'm already trying to implement good security practice, but believe RSA two-factor authentication will still be hugely beneficial. For example, while I do maintain current anti-virus definitions on my primary server + laptop... I can not guarantee security on every client machine I...

Hi, I'm getting really paranoid about some of my (remotely hosted) trading systems. I'm taking normal precautions (anti-virus, Windows firewall, IDS)... but considering the amount of money involved here, I don't think I can be too careful. Does anyone have any experience with enabling...

I go through waves of extreme obsession/activity, and then inactivity. That's true in general, and definitely true for working on the system. When I see the hint of a change that gives me a 0.5% monthly improvement in results... I can't stay away. I skip meals, sleep, everything until I can...

Implementation errors, like "peeking" for one. But assuming that you've done the job right... ... one thing that's always on my mind (as in... I pray I'm not doing this) is curve-fitting. If you optimize your results on the exact sequence of the last 3 years, then that doesn't at all...

IB/TWS gives you numerous options for allocation. You can always do custom allocation, or you can program a fixed allocation percentage between different "client" accounts.

That pretty much nails me, actually. I'm an independent trading my own account, but with a successful business/career that gives me time + opportunity + capital to explore this. About 10 years ago... I was just out of college, and like many of the hot-shot daytraders who still storm into...

True... I don't know what his GOOG options were trading for on Thursday, but it was probably not much more than 13 dollars either. Why not close it out right then and there? Actually for my own purposes, I'd be curious if someone has good heuristics for deciding when's a good time to...

Although I realize the OP would have lost money... I still don't see the "lesson" here. GOOG could've just as easily been at 342.46 Friday morning... there's nothing magical about today. If you hold any kind of a short position (including an ITM naked call), you will lose money when the...

I personally am of the opinion no broker would let you open this position with that margin positon. I haven't shopped around every broker, but at least on IB, Fidelity, and TDA... their margin requirements would preclude you from placing the order in the first place. On TDA/IB, I know that...

I can't think of any scenario where 7-10 year treasuries will end up with negative yields. We're not talking 3 month or 6 month notes... we're talking 7-10 year bonds. Why would *any* investor anywhere buy a financial asset that, even if you held it to maturity over 7 years, would...

I have been buying ETFs that short the 10 year treasury. See PST, for example. If there is inflation (or just general lack of trust in the US dollar + US debt), treasuries will plunge in value as yields soar. I think the downside on PST is also relatively safe. How much lower in...

You're completely right. A gap down to 200 Friday morning would've only made him pennies, whereas a gap down to 200 Monday morning will make him benjamins.

Well, right, but we're only having this conversation because the option was ATM (and ITM for much of the week). Margin isn't really an issue. I agree the OP didn't really mean to sign up for this risk, and should've closed out his position on Friday. At the same time, this risk isn't any...